The Taliban Conquers 27 Districts In Afghanistan

The Taliban are intensifying attacks across Afghanistan to gain more territory ahead of NATO’s troop withdrawal in September. The militant group now controls vast swaths of land.

Heavy fighting in many districts in recent weeks has inflicted heavy losses on both Taliban and government forces.

On Wednesday, more than 20 Afghan commandos were killed in the northern Faryab province as they tried to regain control of Dawlat Abad district, which Taliban militants had seized 10 days ago.

The group’s attempts to take over district capitals have also resulted in civilian casualties. Many locals in these areas are fleeing for their lives to safe havens.

According to authorities and residents, Taliban fighters have destroyed government buildings in some district capitals after capturing the cities for a short period of time and then withdrawing.

Khan Abad, in Afghanistan’s northern Kunduz province district, fell to the Taliban in May, but the militants were subsequently pushed back by government forces.

“There was an explosion in front of my pharmacy. It destroyed everything. I had to leave the area due to heavy fighting. I am left with nothing now,” Shirin Agha Azizi, 32, told DW.

Violence committed by the Taliban gives an opportunity for Turkey to expand its military presence in Afghanistan, as Ankara is being given the position to replacing the US in the country. For now Turkey is defending the Kabul airport, but it will widen its military numbers due to Taliban violence. There is already a supposed tension between Turkey and the Taliban, with the latter rejecting Turkey’s defense of the airport as we read in the Daily Sabah:

The Taliban have opposed Ankara’s proposal to guard and run Kabul’s international airport after the departure of United States-led NATO forces from the war-torn country, saying that Turkey should also withdraw its troops in line with the 2020 deal for the pullout of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.

With there being tension between Turkey and the Taliban, Ankara can then justify massive military deployment. This is Turkey’s opportunity to gradually expand her power in a region that it aspires to control, Central Asia.